The present invention relates to a dual-purpose motorcycle locking device and in particular to a bar lock which can also be used to provide a raised foot rest for the rider.
The various locking devices for motorcycles currently on the market are all patterned after the conventional lock and chain. Such devices are typically cumbersome and difficult to transport, and often cause damage to chrome-plated or painted surfaces of the motorcycle. Moreover, if not secured properly to the motorcycle while being transported, chains can pose a significant safety hazzard. In addition, the conventional lock and chain does not provide a particularly secure means of locking a motorcycle. This is readily evident from the current rate of motorcycle thefts in this country notwithstanding the fact that the lock and chain is utilized by almost all motorcyclists. The theft problem to a large extent has also been responsible for the dramatic increase in motorcycle insurance premiums over the past several years. The reason for the high theft rate is quite simple. A conventional lock and chain, even those that are specially treated or case hardened, can be readily broken with such standard tools as bolt cutters, hacksaws, or hammers.
Thus, it is the primary purpose of the present invention to provide a motorcycle locking device that is not only more effective than the conventional lock and chain, but is also more convenient and safer to transport. The device essentially comprises an elongated solid steel bar having a pair of slots formed therein. The device is used to lock the motorcycle by inserting the bar through the spokes in the rear wheel and securing the bar with a pair of padlocks to mounting brackets which are permanently secured to a rear frame member of the motorcycle, typically the swing-arm. As will subsequently be described in greater detail, the bar is preferably secured in the locking position by inserting the shackles of the padlocks through the slots in the bar and securing the same to the mounting brackets. In this manner, the most vulnerable portion of the padlocks-- the shackles-- are protected by the bar.
To transport the locking bar of the present invention, an additional bracket arrangement is mounted to the front frame member of the motorcycle, typically the down-tubes, and the bar secued thereto in a horizontal position so as to provide a raised footrest for the rider, commonly called "highway pegs". With the bar secured in this manner, a convenient and safe means of transporting the bar is provided.